Calzone on the Buschbeck Pizza Stone

A calzone is really just a pizza that's had a little fold and a secret kept inside. But cook one on the Buschbeck pizza stone and it turns into something else entirely. The crust blisters and crisps while the ricotta, mozzarella and ham steam away underneath, and you get that first-cut moment where the cheese pulls and everyone leans in.

This one came about on a lazy pizza night with the kids, each of them building their own parcel and arguing about who sealed theirs best. That's the thing about a calzone on the Buschbeck: it's forgiving, it's fun, and it still gets that proper wood-fired crust you just can't manage in a kitchen oven.

If you haven't made dough before, start with my everyday pizza dough for the Buschbeck pizza oven insert, and if it's your first time using the insert at all, it's worth a quick read of how to use the Buschbeck pizza oven insert without burning the base.

Makes 2 · Fire: hot coals · Cook: 10 min

Ingredients

• 1 ball My Everyday Pizza Dough (see Breads, Pizza & Flatbreads)
• 125 g (½ cup) ricotta
• 125 g (4 oz) mozzarella, torn
• 80 g (3 oz) ham or salami, sliced
• 1 handful baby spinach
• 3 tbsp tomato passata
• Olive oil and fresh basil, to serve

Method

1. Heat the pizza oven insert over a hot fire for 20–30 min. Halve the dough and stretch each piece into a 25 cm (10 in) round.
2. Spread passata over one half of each round. Top with ricotta, mozzarella, ham and spinach.
3. Fold the dough over and press the edges firmly to seal. Brush with oil and cut a small slit in the top.
4. Slide onto the stone with the pizza paddle. Bake for 8–10 min, turning once, until puffed and golden.

Fire note: Calzone needs slightly gentler heat than pizza so the inside cooks through. Aim for about 300°C (570°F) on the stone.

Buschbeck kit: Pizza Oven Insert · Wood Pizza Paddle · Infrared Thermometer

How to cook calzone on a Buschbeck

The main trick with calzone on a Buschbeck is heat control. Pizza wants a screaming hot stone, but a calzone is thicker and needs the inside to actually cook, not just the outside to colour. Build your fire well ahead so you've got a solid bed of coals, then let the pizza oven insert heat through properly, 20 to 30 minutes is about right before you even think about sliding anything in.

Use an infrared thermometer on the stone itself rather than guessing by eye. You're aiming for around 300°C, noticeably gentler than a full-bore pizza heat. If your stone's running hotter, pull the fire back a touch or let the coals settle before you start folding dough.

Stretch your dough rounds, load the filling onto one half only, and seal the edges firmly, this is not the place for a half-hearted pinch, a weak seal means ricotta all over your pizza paddle. Brush with oil and slit the top so steam can escape instead of splitting your crust open.

Slide it onto the stone with the wood paddle, give it room, and turn it once partway through so it colours evenly. Ten minutes is usually enough, but watch for that deep golden puff rather than going by the clock alone. Pull it when the crust is firm to tap and let it sit for a minute before cutting in.

What to serve with calzone on the Buschbeck

Keep things simple alongside a calzone, it's already a full meal folded into one parcel. A big green salad cuts through the richness nicely, or go for more wood-fired flavour with fire-blistered tomatoes with burrata on the side. If you're feeding a crowd, a classic margherita pizza on the stone makes a great tag-team dish while everyone waits their turn for calzone.

FAQs

What temperature should my Buschbeck be for calzone?

Aim for around 300°C on the stone, measured with an infrared thermometer. That's a touch gentler than standard pizza heat so the filling cooks through without the crust burning first.

Why did my calzone split open on the Buschbeck?

Usually it's a weak seal or no steam vent. Press the edges firmly and cut a small slit in the top before baking so steam has somewhere to go.

Can I use the same dough as pizza for a Buschbeck calzone?

Yes, my everyday pizza dough works perfectly, just stretch it a little thicker than you would for a thin pizza base so it holds the filling.

How long does calzone take to cook on a Buschbeck pizza stone?

About 8 to 10 minutes, turning once partway through. Look for a deep golden, puffed crust rather than relying on timing alone.

Get all 89 recipes in The Wood Fire Kitchen

Calzone on the Pizza Stone is one of 89 recipes in my cookbook, The Wood Fire Kitchen: Recipes for your Buschbeck outdoor fireplace. It covers everything from lighting and reading the fire to pizza, grilling, the rotisserie, camp-oven dinners and desserts baked in the embers, with a Buschbeck kit note on every recipe so you know exactly which accessory to reach for.

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Want a look inside first? Grab the free sample on the book page, or browse more Buschbeck recipes.